Government-owned Oman Airports selected Vanderlande because its solutions offered the best total cost of ownership – based on its highly redundant systems – made best use of space in the respective terminals, and delivered energy efficient performance. Oman Airports’ remit also covers airports at Duqm and Sohar, as well as three other regional airports servicing the needs of the oil and gas industry.
“The decision to modernise Muscat and Salalah international airports was to meet the expectations of airlines and passengers in terms of capacity and efficiency,” explains Mohamed Humaid Mohamed Al Shuaili, the Vice President for Regional Airports at Oman Airports. “Our priority therefore was to choose baggage solutions that exploited the latest technologies.”
Salalah Airport serves the south of the country and its BHS was installed through a three-year project, which began in 2012. Since its commenced operations in November 2015, the airport has achieved a high percentage of passenger numbers for local, regional and international airlines that operate direct scheduled or chartered flights.
Salalah Airport covers 65,000 m2, and has the capacity to handle up to two million passengers every year, with the potential to expand to six million. The BHS was also designed with the future in mind, and will be able to handle the peak hour capacities expected up to 2025.
“Before selecting Vanderlande, we looked at their work in other countries, visiting Schiphol and Istanbul airports,” says Mohammed Salim Bakhit Tabook, the BHS Service Manager at Salalah International Airport. “From contract to go-live, the impression was one of quality in terms of the work and the team. There were no issues during installation, and because of the training provided, everything was ready before the opening.”
Mr Tabook is also complimentary about the commissioning and testing processes. These were particularly important, because it was the first automated BHS to be installed in Oman. “We have a good relationship with Vanderlande, and always support each other. Vanderlande’s installation team transferred their knowledge to us and didn’t hide any information – our experience has come from them.”
The new BHS has brought efficiency to airport operations, which is borne out by increased passenger satisfaction. “We’ve had some good feedback from customers and ground handlers about the speed of the system,” adds Mr Tabook. “It’s a strong partnership and doesn’t feel like a contract, it’s more like they are part of the Oman Airports’ team. They always try their best for us when we request support – and that’s why we say they are a partner, not a contractor.”
Muscat International Airport’s new passenger terminal opened in November 2018. The building covers approximately 580,000 m2, and has 72 check-in counters for airline companies and 24 for business class.
It also includes two gates for large aircrafts, which are connected with passenger boarding bridges and ten baggage claim conveyor belts – eight for international flights and two for domestic flights. The BHS can manage 5,200 bags per hour and gives the airport the capability of handling the peak hour capacities expected for 12 million passengers per annum.
Before the new terminal and BHS became operational, the airport had a basic process to handle baggage. There was no automated sortation and screening, and because these functions were carried out manually there was a high risk that mistakes could be made.
During the transition to the new airport, the main challenge faced by Oman Airports was to fully engage with stakeholders on all operational and security issues, as well as with the baggage team who would be operating the new facility and system.
Most issues were addressed during the trial period, which included the testing of different scenarios and system functions. Assessing the BHS operation in terms of its interaction with the terminal’s health and safety requirements also went smoothly.
“The new terminal is a big milestone in the aviation sector within Oman,” says Hadi Najeem Sulaiman Al-Abri, the BHS A/Manager at Muscat International Airport. “Vanderlande has proven their state-of-the-art system, in that it’s a fully automated BHS that reduces human errors, improves baggage delivery time and serves our exact needs and requirements.
“The solutions provided by Vanderlande have dramatically improved airport operations. With 100% baggage screening and on-time performance of baggage to the aircraft, we can accommodate as many flights as possible up to our current capacity.”
Both airports operate around the clock, which means their baggage systems must be available at all times. Therefore, Oman Airports had to ensure that the operation and maintenance (O&M) of both BHS was in safe and reliable hands.
“The challenge was to select the correct team with the correct background to manage the new facilities,” explains Mr Al-Abri. “We then had to engage with them in a proper way so we would come to the correct decisions and have a plan for the operation of the new systems.”
Oman Airports chose Vanderlande for these important tasks. A three-year O&M contract was originally signed in 2015, and this has subsequently been extended in 2018 from 2022 until 2028.
“We chose Vanderlande because they created the systems and we have had such a positive experience with them,” says Mr Tabook. “We are really working together like one company! They are very reliable and there is good communication between us.”
“Since the systems and BHS technology were new to the country, we wanted everything to be in the hands of the experts,” Mr Al-Abri adds. “We get great cooperation, and they also teach our local Omani team, who have taken over certain parts of the operation – one of the main goals for our business.”
Oman Airports’ mission is “enabling global and national connectivity while being a key contributor to growth”. And its vision is “creating an exceptional travel experience with lasting memories”. With Vanderlande, this operator has found the perfect partner to help achieve these goals.
“The company brought highly skilled personnel to operate their complex system, which has added value to Oman Airports,” says Mr Al Shuaili. “There’s always the possibility of upgrading to the latest technologies – this is important because if you stand still, you will not be able to compete with other airports.”
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